UPDATE “This is devastating”; Kamao Cappo stunned at lack of criminal charges in Canadian Tire incident

Kamao Cappo outside the Canadian Tire store where the incident took place. Photo by Manfred Joehnck.

No criminal charges will be laid after an Indigenous man who was forcefully removed from a Canadian Tire store in Regina this past summer.

The Regina Police Service says they concluded their investigation into the July 26th incident that saw 53 year-old Kamao Cappo forced from the store after he was accused of theft.

In the following days, the Canadian Tire employee in question lost his job and several rally’s were held in response to the incident.

Police say they sought guidance from Saskatchewan Justice on the case because of the “sensitivity surrounding” the investigation.

Based on the evidence and recommendations from Saskatchewan Justice police say no criminal charges will be laid. They say allegations over the motivations of the employee are not criminal in nature.

Kamao Cappo told MBC that he was saddened and stunned by the decision.

“It’s a really sad message for our people and our children,” said Cappo. “Indigenous people experience this on a regular basis and they do not report it…they just accept it. I wanted to show them they could succeed, so this is devastating.”

Cappo’s video of the altercation has been viewed more than a million times online. He says he has yet to receive an official apology from Canadian Tire officials.